Maximum Ride: End of the Line
by OhArizona
Summary: The Angel Experiment, as told by Fang. Great, you're reading this, well then, guess you just got lucky and chanced your life with picking this book up. Good luck to you all, you will need it.
1. Chapter 1

Great, you're reading this, well then, guess you just got lucky and chanced your life with picking this book up. After all, it's not like you are going to survive it all, but hey, if you want to, keep reading, but this is my story, and I'm not going to stop, not even if it costs me my life. I have to tell this story, have to get this off my chest. You have probably already what Max has seen written about our adventures, and honestly, she is right. Everything you heard from her? Yeah, that happens. Great isn't it. Yeah, you're probably already thinking that I'm insane, but really, no, no I'm not. I don't have a voice in my head, but hey, it's all I can give you, so, keep reading if you want.

Let me give you the rundown on what we've been through so far. First off, I'm Fang, Nick, Fnick, whatever, right wing man of the great and fearless Maximum Ride. Then there's Max, you should know her, but for those just tuning in, she is the leader, the oldest, and the craziest. Then Iggy, he too is fourteen, blind, but has a sense of greatness. Nude comes up next, she's eleven, a mouth mouth, and a fashionista. I shudder when I am forced to say that, I really do. Then Gazzy, eight, he's well known for his glorious digestive system. And finally, Angel, the six year old, who yeah, might be sweet, but is a demon in disguise. So, caught up on us, what about the rest of our adventures? Probably not, which is why I'm starting here, from the very beginning all over again.

So far, we've escaped the whitecoats back at the School, and killed a few lunatic dogs called Erasers, who are part human, part wolf, like us kids who are part human, part avian. Max calls us Avian-Americans. Whatever. Then Jeb just suddenly disappears, and we go on with life for two years thinking he's dead. Max takes the lead then, as the oldest. And that, well, it pretty much has us all caught up to where we are right now. Great. Guess I could tell you about the School now...

Alright, so, we were 'created' or 'born' in this place called the School, pretty horrible place, honestly, we were experimented on, given wings, air sacs, and some other bird qualities. However, the School is a place you are not to go to - ever, it has nothing but other creatures dying, insane experiments, Erasers, and whitecoats flailing about like they went on drugs. And let me not forget that the place smells exactly like antiseptic, and any other medical crap you can honestly think up. It's a lab, for my sake! Which really, isn't that big of a sake...Oh never mind.

Which leads us to now, us on the run from the Erasers, the School, and anything that can ever get in our way. We live in this uh, 'E' shaped house that Jeb used to own, and it really is quite dirty. We don't really know much about hygiene, to be truthful, but hey, what happens happens. That's what I like to call the food chain, or my way of life, even if so many people don't agree with it, that is, of course. Guess it really is time to go on with the real story, in Prince Fang's point of view. Don't even ask, you'll learn so much more that way, by the way. Be prepared, that's all I can tell you about my story, about the flock's, about everything that has ever happened to us, because it will end badly, and it will end however it wants. But I can tell you, I'm not stopping until this story is finally over, until it's all gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Pound, drip, pound, drip, pound, pound.

Huh, that was off beat, what happened to the 'drip'? Hell, what happened to the guys that were grabbing my flock members, my family away from me? I took the chance to look back, my eyes glancing every which way, looking for something. I saw nothing. Not even the faintest hint of the black sky that was taunting me from the behind, chasing after me, knowing exactly where I would turn, when I would jump. It was ridiculous. But what I saw behind me was white, all white. I had the nerve to question if I was still at the School, undergoing experiments and tests.

I spun my head back around to see complete darkness, and that was when I became confused. First, there were dripping noises, then there was nothing, now, well, there was darkness. What was wrong with this place, but, as I questioned that, the dripping started again, and I ran. I had to run, this was Chinese water torture, didn't anyone know how not so original that was anymore? Guess not, because as I was about to turn into the darkness of the dripping, I was jolted awake.

I groaned, rolling over, and hissing into my lumpy pillow. Who had the nerve at, I looked up at the nearest digital clock that read six thirty-seven, and slammed my head back down. But that was when i felt a poking sensation in my side as I turned over, and gazed into the face of Angel, the cutest, yet hellion in the family. She smiled - that was an understatement, she grinned, as she poked into my head, telling me that it was time to get up. I would have retorted, saying I wanted to go back to sleep, but yeah, that was not happening. After all, I was voted the most likely to be a cult leader, and I had better live up to that name. So, with a deranged and strangled sigh, I stood up, pushing the six year old girl out of my room, before quickly grabbing a set of black clothes - per usual.

Dressed and ready to grab a bite to eat, I heard the faint footsteps and the loud talking downstairs. The shuffling continued, followed by a billowing dust cloud that rolled up the stairs, I almost gagged then. "Morn'n Max," I heard Gazzy call, and smiled, second one up, if not third, was he. He was the one who just loved to make his bombs, or you know, he would imitate my voice, trying to get me on Max's bad side. And that side was not a good one. Soon, Max had replied to Gasman, and was shuffling through the fridge as I walked - if not, floated - into the game room beside Iggy as he walked passed, touching my hand lightly on the way by. Poor guy, he was blind after a failed attempt at night vision.

"What's for breakfast?" Gazzy asked, and I smiled, always hungry, then again, so was everyone else, we just chose to hold it in, unlike the other children.

After a few moments silence, there was an answer. "Um, it's a surprise." What a great idea, Max! A surprise, and from someone who can't even cook eggs correctly. And that reminded me of the incident that put me off eggs for a few months, and I frowned. As Iggy slid onto the couch we had spent time setting up in the kitchen, Max spoke again, turning around. "Hey Ig, rise and shine,"

"Bite me," I heard him mumble with groggy sleep. Oh man, I loved that guy, blind as bat, but sure as hell funny, and worth getting into a sparring match with. I took it as my cue then, to enter the kitchen, slipping in quietly behind Max, not moving, not thinking, just standing there.

"Fine, miss breakfast." she called, as I saw the hair on the back of her neck raise, and she whipped around, as though she had planned to deck me. "Will you quit that?" she asked with exuberance.

Pushing my long, black hair back, and looking her dead in the eyes, I spoke slowly. "Quit what?" I paused for a moment. "Breathing?" I asked, blowing a bit of my breath into her face, and she glared at me, or maybe that was the stink eye. Didn't know.

"You know what." she snapped back, then proceeded in order giving, but not before Iggy stood and offered to make us eggs. My hero. "Fang? You set the table. I'll go get Nudge and Angel." Oh, joy, Motor Mouth and Demon Spawn were getting ready now. I grumbled lowly to myself, setting the table as ordered, tossing down six plastic cups, only to be followed by six paper plates. It was all we could afford, especially since Jeb left us almost nothing. Stupid old man. In only a matter of moments, Angel came skipping downstairs, Nudge groggily following behind, and max tailing them. I rolled my eyes, only to hear magical words form Iggy. Breakfast, was served. Woo. Yeah, that's fake enthusiasm. I still wasn't hyped for eggs, either way.

"I want to go pick strawberries today. They're ripe now." Angel smirked at me, showing that evil smile that made me want to scream. It could only mean that I had to go with them - all.

"Okay, Angel, I'll go with you." Gazzy answered, nodding in agreement.

After about ten minutes into eating, Gazzy let off his trademark - the reason he got his name, and I stood briskly. "I'm done." I grabbed my plate, moving towards the sink and dropping it in. Those dishes would need done soon...we had crusted food all over the place as it was, and the house already stunk enough, the dishes were not at all helping. I could hear everyone then, reprimanding Gazzy, or, giving him a compliment or two.

"Oh, jeez, Gazzy," Max disapproved. Oh good, she still had some self preservation left in her at least. That was at the same time Iggy began fake gagging and choking, as he grabbed his neck. "Gas...mask!"

"Sorry," Gazzy answered, but continued eating as I turned the sink water on. Amazing how we still had electric and water running in the house as minors. But hey, I wasn't complaining. Grabbing the soap bottle off the counter top, after letting the water warm up, drumming my fingers against the cupboards, and then, unscrewing the cap off the soap bottle, dumping more than half on the dishes. I wasn't good at this sort of thing, I'd admit, but, hey, had to do something to ignore the stench that flooded to my nose again. I groaned, reaching over the sink, and the rising water slamming the window open in annoyance. Nabbing the scrubber off the other side of the counter as I leaned back down, I began my new duty. The dishes.

"Yeah Angel," Nudge began, "I think the fresh air would do us all good. I'll go too." That left the deal sealer or breaker, as I swiveled my head to Max.

"We'll all go," Ugh. Max, how dare you do this to me. Strawberry picking was not my kind of fun, but, I turned back around and focused on the plate I held, hoping that it soon, and I mean soon, would be clean. It must have been one of the ones that had been sitting there for a week or so, because it just was not coming clean. Sighing, after a few minutes, I just gave up, and began to descend out into the morning air.

From my figuring, it was May two-thousand five, and that meant heat, heat, heat. Max had given us all small baskets, in which we were forced to carry. Minus the red hoodie, we could have been from an ancient fairytale, I mused, as Angel poked around with Max. "If you make cake, I can make strawberry shortcakes," Gazzy peered over at Iggy, then at myself, before mumbling to me, in Iggy's voice.

"Yeah, that'll be the day, when Max makes a cake. I'll make it Angel." If you would have looked at Angel, you could just see the smirk on her lips, dancing with amusement as Max turned to Iggy, getting in his face.

"Oh, thank you! Okay, I'm not a fabulous cook. But I can still kick your butt, and don't you forget it!" she snapped, as Iggy held his hands up, taking a step back into me, as I grinned, and Nudge resisted laughing in excitement. Gazzy just looked full out proud of himself, as Max turned to him. "Was that you?" she gasped. He just grinned, with a shrug, trying to hide how proud of himself he was. I knew he was going to do it, but really, I'm just glad it wasn't me he was using as the puppet, Max surely would have decked me.

That was when Angel screamed in terror.


	3. Chapter 3

There was no time to think as I saw the blurry Erasers coming straight towards us - each eye had hatred, and each eye held the sense that we were going to die at their paws. Right, sure, whatever, let them think that, but I was going to fight, at least, until my ending. Max, as I looked at her, was horrified, but soon, had launched herself into the midst of the wolf men, kicking, screaming, tearing at the bests. So, it was my turn, I figured, and threw myself into the onslaught.

Immediately, I took one of the smaller ones, knowing that if it were to be gone, then it would stand no chance against others. So, proceeding, I threw a few punches, okay, you got me, more than a few, ducking beneath a swipe of it's claws at it smacked at me with a giant paw. That was when I heard a whoosh, and was tackled by two Erasers, the smaller one, grinning with pride. They took me down, my arms and legs flailing as I struggled to get them off of me. That was a task, I can tell you that right now. I could hear the fight still raging, I could hear as Gazzy went down with a oof, and see when Max was pinned by two Erasers as well. I kept my kicking up, flinging my arms about still, I needed to get free.

And I did, I'll tell you what. I had, with my successful flinging, kicked one of the Erasers in the face, and they fell backwards, and then proceeded onto hitting at the other two until they moved, or fell back into the treeline, glaring at me. I could hear Angel screaming still, could hear Nudge's crying, and I instantly knew that something was wrong. I had to help, in whatever way I could. So, the first thing I did when I got up was wipe the oozing blood that trickled down my forehead onto my black shirt sleeve, and jump into the air, soaring, looking for one of the two girls that were having a problem or two. I caught sight of Angel first, so, I bombed towards her, but I saw Max on the ground still, and sighed. When was she going to learn? I shook the thoughts away as I rushed to Angel.

But, by the time I had gotten there, an Eraser had her by the arms. "Max!" she yelled, putting force into it, and then, a bloody shout made it's way towards my ears, and then a clap. Well done, Max, I congratulated her in my head, even if she could not hear it. Max raced towards us after she had knocked the one Eraser out, jumped over Iggy, but I saw two annoying as ever Erasers running towards me, so, my instinct was to knock the both of them out, and I raced to them myself. I snarled at one as it looked at me in generous surprise, before laughing. I rolled my grey eyes, taking my hands and slapping them over the top of it's head, then, doing to the same to the other. Bad timing, I will admit, because the two fell on Max just as she made it to Angel.

But from my line of sight, the two Erasers I had just knocked out were doing great, and one was pushing into her chest with his knee, the other keeping her down. Max was wheezing, struggling, as one dug his claws into her red cheeks. Inside, I was in a rage, throwing a fit that they were still in the fight, hurting Max. In dizziness, she suddenly fell backwards, pinning her, as the three Erasers that had jogged into the forest earlier, grabbed Angel from the one holding her back, stuffing her into a sack. I snarled again. I was not helping as much as I would have liked to - I didn't know what to do!

Angel, however did, as she was crying, screaming for any of us, as one of them hit her in the face, leaving a paw print there. I turned back to Max, she was screaming in tears. " Get off me, you stupid, freaking -" she choked then, as she was slammed back, and I saw a face I hadn't expected.

"_Max_," he grinned. "Good to see you again, you look like crap. You always acted so much better than anyone else, so this cheers me up." God, I really did hate Ari. Even if he was a seven year old boy, turned Eraser. He was annoying way back when, and he was annoying now. Still.

I rolled my eyes as Max gasped out a who are you to him. He grinned more, his sharp teeth becoming visible. "You don't recognize me? I guess I've grown some." Her eyes went wide at last, as she looked him dead in the dark wolf-like eyes.

"Ari," she whispered out at last. That was when he started laughing, that was when he stood and brought his boot down over the top over her head, and that was also when her head lurched to the left. I growled, swooping towards Ari, my eyes staying on him, but he seemed to notice, because he darted off after the Hummer that had Angel waiting inside. Angel. my little sister. I had to help her. But Max came first, she was here, and Angel was not.

_I'm sorry Angel, forgive me. I hope you understand._ I whispered to her mentally, hoping she was still at least in the range. I wish I would have gotten a cheerful answer, but none came. Gazzy looked at me, he was finally awake, and stalking his way to me as the last of the Erasers retreated. He didn't know Angel was gone yet, but, I was very sure he was going to pick that out from the eye I kept on the Erasers who were hightailing it, and as I glared into the air. He inched towards Max, as he was about to come over top of Iggy, who was _still_ out of it. Sometimes I wondered if that kid was faking it or not.

"Max?" Gazzy called, leaning over her as I came to stand by his side, as a low moan came out of her mouth, and then, our expressions became concerned as she croaked to us.

"I'm okay." She tried sitting up, working obviously as she looked around. "Where's Angel?" she asked grumpily. I would have snickered at her, but now was not the time. Gazzy didn't know, Iggy didn't know, and Nudge was not over here in the current time, so, it was my turn to bear the bad news. I looked straight into Max's chocolate brown eyes and went with the simple answer to that question.

"She's gone. They took her." She went pale, her eyes widened, and she looked as though she was going to murder someone. Oh hell, I looked like I was going to help her murder someone, and Gazzy looked like he was just going to go into a rage or faint. I wasn't sure which. Yet.

She slowly got to her feat, wobbling, and I moved slightly, she needed someone to lean on, and I was just the person. She took the offer, but, in her eyes, I could see she did not like the idea of me helping her, but she was in pain. Even with advanced healing, I mean, really, I knew this girl, since the School. "We've got to get her, we've got to get her before they -" She just suddenly stopped, her weak and quiet voice drowning with her. I could only hope to not imagine that she seeing the School behind her closed eyes. She opened them a moment later, pushing off of my side and shoulder, and I winced. I hadn't noticed till now, but when the fur balls had attacked me, they hit me in the side. Stupid mutts.

"Check in, guys - are you up for a chase?" Max asked, checking us each over quickly, cataloging injuries. Of course, I was not going to let off that I, Fang the the Great, was hurt. I looked us over as well, we looked a lot like hell warmed over.

"Yes," Nudge sighed, her voice hot with tears as she stood quietly by Iggy's side, helping him over to us, just as he spouted off a reply. "I'm up," And that was with a split lip. What a man. Gazzy just looked at Max and nodded in sadness, he had just lost his blood, his kin, his only real family tie to us. I looked at Max and just nodded as well, why speak? I've done it enough for the time. Looking at her though, tears were streaming down her face, it was not normal for her to cry in front of us, but, well, this was different, we all had a reason to cry, but she wiped them away, and looked at Iggy as he cocked his head.

A faint humming sound erupted, and Iggy burst out with a yell, and pointed in the general direction. With stiffness, and some of us even tripping, we ran towards the sharp sound, that was when we saw it. The black Hummer making it's way. From the look in Max's eyes, we were going to right after them and take them out. "Let's get her!" she yelled in a sudden fit, running and bursting her tawny wings out.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: If you guys spot a typo, please, let me know. I will definitely go back in and fix it asap. **

You just have to know that when Max says to do something, you do it. You just don't stand there dumbfounded and wait for all hell to break loose. Oh no, you go, and you don't look back on the idea you just had in your pretty little head. So, you know, with that in mind, the remainder of us on the ground burst into a tight formation behind Max, shuffling our wings along. We knew our objective, we knew we'd been toast if we didn't make it to Angel in time. Well there goes my good thought for the day, getting my little sister back, but not getting her back at all. I would have found myself amused if I was still dreaming, but deep down, deeper than deep, I knew that this was not a dream, that this was all real, that we were fighting to get Angel back, fighting to survive in a world we hardly understood ourselves.

You know how when you have a good idea suddenly sprout out of your head like a light bulb? Well, when we swerved down towards the Humvee, an idea formed in my mind. There were trees here, trees had branches, branches were hard. Why not make a weapon out of them? Really, there was no reason _not_ to. So, swooping down and grabbing hold of a random dead branch became my signature move for the morning, as I dropped straight down, holding tightly to my heavy weapon of choice before smashing it against the Humvee's windshield. I of course did not anticipate that they would have a gun, so, smelling the hot metal and gun powder as it shot towards me, well, I ignored. That's right folks, I was not hit, however, and it was only one gun, but, taking a free chance, I slammed my branch down again, before leaving it there as more bullets assaulted me – they were all armed and dangerous now.

Leaving the Humvee alone was a hard decision, as I flew into the trees, a little behind the group as it all dawned upon me. Would we make it time? As Max screamed to her baby, I searched the forestry. Trees, trees, clearing, trees, wait, clearing? Back up plan, engaged. We could use the clearing to get into the air above the Humvee again, or you know, we could use it to cut the mangy vehicle off. But in the midst of that thought, a chopper was landing, it's blades swinging furiously, and it would make a great chance for us to grab Angel. "Up ahead," I murmured, surging forward beside Max, passing the other three.

I knew we had to move fast, but to move fast, we had to make it there at the same time the jeep did, and then, we had to use our super skills of recoil and move even faster then. So, as soon as the door busted open, I was on top of the first Eraser that stepped out, That, was probably a horrible idea as the Eraser suddenly transformed, his face turning into that of an ugly beast, as it sliced into my forearm, blood being drawn. I recoiled back, blood dripping from the damage. You know? There's another reason to hate Erasers – they bite. I was too convinced with the blood, and trying to stop it, that the next twenty minutes flew by so fast. Before I knew it, Angel was in the chopper, the Erasers behind, and the rest of us, watching in horror. It is honestly amazing what one can miss.

As we all watched for what seemed like an eternity, Gazzy howled with angst. "_They have my sister!_" Of course, he would be the one most afflicted by the pain this time, maybe, just as bad as Max. Finishing the wrap for my own arm with a pull of my teeth, I watched Gazzy pound the dirt in recession, before he finally collapsed. I knew it was my turn to try to help him, so, kneeling by his side, I tenderly wrapped my free arm around his shoulder, whispering slowly to him.

"Max, what are we gonna do?" I heard Nudge faintly as Gazzy nodded, understanding what I was telling him, understanding that we were going to get her back, make it all better for us all. "They have _Angel_." Nudge grumbled, still talking to Max as a burst of window snapped my head back and Max took off into the clear blue sky. I looked at the flock members, and they looked back. Max had taken off, no warning, and that left me in her wake. Oh, Max, how could you? It was hard enough to deal with my own pain, but three other's too? Crying, and bloody, we decided to take off, back to the house. Smart move on our part? Probably not, but hey, we had to regroup, heal, and make sure that we could make the trip.

It had been maybe an hour since the kidnapping, an hour since Max had taken off, and hour since we had been back home when the kitchen door finally opened, and Max walked in. Her eyes were still stained red with tears, and her heart, I could only assume, was still in shambles, like the rest of us. I watched her closely, her eyes moving to the table, spotting the plate that was Angel's immediately. Iggy, sensing all of the built up anger, swept his hand across the counter, a crusty mug catapulting towards me, and before I had the time to react, slamming me in the side of the head.

"Watch it, idiot!" I hissed, instantly regretting my words, clenching my teeth, I turned to Max and rolled my eyes. I was frustrated, angry, hurt, and most of all, beyond the point of sanity. The Erasers, for one, had ruined a semi-nice day, once more! Max moved away from our merry group f angry mutants, grabbing the first aid kit, and set off to work, cleaning Gasman up first. Iggy, I guess, just now realizing it was him I had been talking to, roared back.

"_You_ watch it! What _happened_? I mean, you guys can _see_, can't you? Why couldn't you get Angel?" I was silent. You tell me how to answer that one, will you? Because I'm out of ideas.

"They had a chopper!" the Gasman yelled, leaving Max's side. "And guns! We're not _bulletproof_!" Thank you, Gazzy. Way to tell it like a man. Though, well, yelling is not the way to handle a situation, so, folks, listen up, and take my advice, do not yell back, it will get you back to square one.

"Guys! Guys! We're all upset. But _we're_ not the enemy! _They're_ the enemy!" Spoken like a true leader, it was, as Max patted down the last band aid for Gazzy, and spoke lower than her leader voice. "Just – be quiet for a minute so I can think," I could respect that, so, I stood, leaving the kitchen which looked the same, if not worse than it had earlier that morning, and made my way into the living room. Iggy had followed, cooled down after our fiasco, and sat by Nudge, if not on her.

Shrugging, my way into a cupboard that we had a stash of food in, I snagged a can of ravioli, and just grabbed a fork. It wouldn't matter if it was clean or not, but this can was not going to wait for me. Though my eyes never left Max as I ate, I still listened to everything in the background. "You know, if they just wanted to kill her, or kill all of us, they could have." Nudge grumbled, her voice shaking. "They had _guns_. They wantedAngel _alive_ for some reason. And they didn't care if _we_ were alive or not. I mean, they didn't go out of their way to make _sure_ we were dead, is what I'm saying. So, that makes me think we have time to go after Angel again." Nudge spoke quickly, but slow enough that we could catch all of her words easily.

"But they were in a chopper," Gazzy began, "They're way gone. They could be anywhere." He stopped for a moment, thinking it over. "Like, China or something." His lower lip was trembling as he took a seat by my feat. I could understand, to an extent, what he was getting at with this, and it only made it harder for us, and him to handle.

"I don't think they took her to China, Gazzy." Max whispered, ruffling his hair. I thought about it, Erasers and a chopper could only mean that they took her to one place, one place that all of us never wanted to be inside of again. I sighed, scrapping the bottom of my can, as I turned to Max.

"We know where they took her." It was a statement, nothing more. Iggy looked between us, trying to understand what we were on about now.

"Where's that?" he finally asked, his eyes, from what I could see, were bloodshot, and red still.

"The School," Max and I answered instantly, at the same time. Can you just hear the intake of breath as we said that? Yeah, that's what went down now.


	5. Chapter 5

You could just hear the audible gasp that Nudge released as she took a quick look at the two of us for even suggesting such a horrible fate to her best friend. I shrugged to her – we all knew it was true, there was no way in hell you couldn't not know about it. Honestly. I turned to look at the Gasman, he just looked scared, but as the tough soldier he is, he tried to wipe the emotion off of his face. If he kept that up, I mused to myself, he would be just like me. Wouldn't that just be grand? Two Fangs in one place. Can you see the horror now? I sighed, only to myself as I looked at Iggy, he was stiff, face showing nothing but what he wanted to break through. I did feel sorry for him, he was a accident to the School, but to us, he was a brother, a friend. I didn't need to even look at Max to know how she was taking the situation, I already knew.

"They took Angel back to the School?" Gasman asked, not thrilled with the idea of it, and well, neither was I, but hey, I'm a guy, can't let the girls know that. Okay, maybe it was my ego talking now.

"I think so," Max quietly answered – she was still trying to act tough in this situation. I wouldn't go further in the subject, not even going to voice my opinions on it, either, not unless you enjoy Fang a la Fang for dinner. I know I didn't.

"Why?" Nudge's voice was quiet as she thought it all over. She was a smart girl, even if it wasn't told to her many a times over again. She really was. "After four years, I thought maybe they had forgotten -"

No, no. The School wasn't that misplaced, okay, maybe they were. I mean really, who lets their best experiments go into the hands of a guy they hardly trust? Them, of course! I shook it away, answering in place of Max this time. "They want us back," I said simply, call me tired of the conversation if you would like but yeah, it was really that easy.

Max turned to Gazzy slowly, her eyes locking on his momentarily. "They'll never forget about us. Jeb wasn't supposed to take us out of there." Exactly, give the girl a chocolate chip cookie! But it was a good point, and it did have to be said to them, whether we liked it or not.

"Jeb knew they would do anything to get us back. If anyone ever discovered what they did to us, it would be the end of the School," I explained, going in more depth with that shallow and vague answer that only Maximum could give us this fair afternoon. Though, I did have to wonder it would be like if people found out about the place where we had spent ten years of our lives, locked in cages, running away from Erasers, screaming in pain. I shuddered lightly, that was not something to remember right now, not something I was interested in imagining either.

"Why don't we tell on them, then?" A practical idea, form only Nudge. "We could go to a TV station and tell everyone and say, Look, they grew wings on us, and we're just little kids, and -" Iggy interrupted her then, adding his own comments suddenly.

"Okay, that would fix _them_, but we'd end up in a zoo." He grumbled to himself after that for a few minutes, as I took my hand and squeezed his shoulder, he may not be able to see, but the kid has a heart, and he knew what he was talking about. After all, I knew him before he was blind, he was an innocent child, just like the rest of us, in this horrible experiment gone wrong. I know how it ruined him, and I know it hurt everyone else when he came back to us, his eyes clouded over. It was painful enough to us, but as he turned his head in the direction of my hand, I knew he understood, I knew he would know that everything would be alright. I patted his shoulder as I maneuvered out of the room, I knew what we needed right now.

I knew I was also missing a very riveting conversation, but there was something in Jeb's old room that we could use right now, and by that, yeah, I was serious. In his room, piled under only the most foul thing you could imagine, okay, maybe not that disgusting, but rat scat, really, not pleasant, were the papers. I snatched them, however, holding them a foot away as I darted back down to the flock, shaking the scat off as I slammed the pages down on the table. "Eew," Nudge started, wiping her nose on her sleeve suddenly. "Eew. Was that -"

I interrupted her this time. No need for the Nudge Channel right this minute, honestly. "Here," I pushed the papers that my hand still remained on towards Max suddenly. She was smart, she knew what to do now. I knew just looking at those ancient files were hair-on-my-back-pricking, but hey, there were other things just as bad. Max, however, was tired of just looking at them as we spread them among the table, searching. Of course, I just had to stumble across the one that was in a manila envelope, sealed with a red wax clump. I looked at Max, and with a swift nod, my fingers pealed the wax away.

I dumped the contents out, finding a map – and only a map. Oh, thanks Jeb, this was something you did right at the least. Thank you for a map! I grumbled mentally for awhile, suddenly glad that Angel – pang – couldn't hear what I was saying to myself. It wasn't that pretty, I had to admit. "What is that?" Gazzy asked quietly, watching me with his blue, and careful eyes.

"Map." I answered easily, tossing the topographical piece of junk down. Nudge was behind me, trying to get a better look, and that was a feat, I was tall for my age, so I leaned to the left, towards Iggy. He wouldn't mind, I knew that much.

"Map of what?" The White House, I almost answered, but, yeah, this was a serious meeting, not something to mess with, so, I kept my trap shut and let Max peer at it like it was the devil let loose.

"Mao if a secret facility. In California. The School." Max said in a stiff, angry monotone. Great. Jeb wasn't a smart person after all. Yep, you can see just how much I loved Jeb right about now, couldn't you? And that was a whole lot, too, by the way.

"Whaaat?" Gasman squeaked in terror. Or, I thought it was terror, anyways, and that was the same time that Iggy went paler than he already was, if that was hardly possible right now. Maybe he was going to pass out, I mused darkly.

"That's where they took Angel, and that's where we have to go to get her back." Max, the calm and cool one of this crazy operation answered, her voice soothing to us, in a strange sort of way. And that, folks, is why she is our leader, and not Iggy or myself. Thank the Lord for that. Though, however, I wondered what it was like being her. Okay, no, wait, no, I didn't want to know the answer to that.

"Oh, yeah. We have to get Angel back. We can't let her stay there – with them. They're – monsters. They're going to do bad things to her. And put her in a cage. Hurt her. But there's five of us. So the rest of us have to get _hmph_ -" Cut off by Max, was dear old Nudge. But she was right, we had to get her, we couldn't let that happen to her, even if it meant getting our own tails captured in the process. Nudge was still grumbling as she pulled Max's fingers off her mouth and spoke again. "Uh, how far is it?" Good question. Did we have a good answer? Maybe. So, my time to shine, I calculated distance rather quickly, annoyed.

"Six hundred miles, more or less. At least a seven-hour flight, not including breaks." I answered, breaking the horrible silence. If we added in breaks, it would take us at least two days, less, perhaps, if we were in a good mood for a long flight.

"Can we _discuss_ this? We're outnumbered?" Iggy demanded, not bothering with moving his head out of my arm's length.

Max answered him with a simple 'no', and he was silenced, at least for the time being, that is. Guess that was all we could ask for as we scanned the notes again. Max had the map, memorizing it, making sure she knew it inside out.

Iggy spoke up again. "Can we take a vote? They had _guns_. And a chopper." Must he always protest against things that were pretty big? Ugh. If it was getting to me, it had to be getting to Max, but, she was still calm as she spoke.

"Iggy. This is not a democracy. It's a Maxocracy. You know we have to go after angel. You can't be thinking that we would just let them take her. The six of us look out for one another – no matter what. None of us is ever going to live in a cage again, not while I'm alive." She took a deep breath, I had to admit, that was a lot to say, even if it was Max. "But actually, Nudge, Fang, and I are going after Angel. You and the Gasman – I need you to stay here. Hold down the fort. On the off chance that Angel escapes and makes her way home." The thing that got me wasn't the dead silence, I enjoyed that, but it was how I was going t o be one of the ones going with them. I mean really, was it a good idea to leave those two home – alone? What was Max thinking!

"You are so full of it. That's not why you want us here. Why don't you just say it?" Iggy, my man, Max is going to have your head on a stick one of these days. Max was going to take it easy, and go along with it.

"Okay, it's true. I don't want you to come. The fact is, you're _blind_, and while you're a great flyer around here where you know everything, I can't be worrying about you in the middle of a firefight with the Erasers." Yeah, with a raise of hands, who saw that coming? Not me, is who, don't know about all of you guys and girls out there right now. Iggy, as he looked at Max, you could just see the rage in his eyes, he started again, but was stopped suddenly.

"What about _me_? I don't _care_ if they have guns and a chopper and Erasers. She's _my_ sister."

"That's right. And if they want her so bad, they might want _you_ just as bad. Plus, you're a great flyer, but you're eight years old, and we're going to be logging major hours." Good job Max, make them mad before we all leave. The house will be in shambles when we get back. If we get back. Ooh, I was thinking darkly today, wasn't I?

"Jeb would never had made us stay. Never. Ever." Poor Iggy, he was taking this harder than anyone else right now.

"Maybe not. We'll never know. Jeb's dead. Now everyone get your gear together." And with that, everyone scattered about the crumbling house, grabbing everything we could for our long trip into the afternoon air streams.


End file.
